


The Art of Zen Figures

by DancingPenguins



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Coaching, Ficlet, Fluff, Gen, compulsorily figures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-10
Packaged: 2019-01-15 13:41:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,243
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12322176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DancingPenguins/pseuds/DancingPenguins
Summary: Yuuri helps Yuri to figure out what is troubling him...OMG I went there...I am so sorry....no I'm not. Not really. He he. Enjoy.





	The Art of Zen Figures

**Author's Note:**

> First off I am dyslexic and I do not have a beta reader so any mistakes are my own. Please do let me know if there is something amiss I love to make my work better when I can. Also I wanted to gift this story but not to any one person. This story is dedicated to all the hard working authors and artists who make the Yuri On Ice fandom such an amazing place to be. Thank you all so much for all of your effort it makes my world a happier place to be. And I really appreciate that. Now on with the story...Enjoy!

It was early the normal sounds of a busy ice skating rink were all but silent. The ice was cold crisp and welcoming. Yuuri Katsuki for all that he wasn’t really a morning person enjoyed the stillness that training at the break of dawn afforded him. Viktor had gone off with Yakov to discuss choreography as the well-loved Russian skater had agreed to help choreograph for some of the other skaters training under Yakov in return for taking him back into the fold and letting Yuuri use the Russian team’s facilities. Most of the other skaters had yet to appear. So Yuuri was alone on the ice save for one other skater. Yuri Plisetsky the brilliant but feisty youth was glaring down at the ice as if he could bore holes though it with his eyes alone. 

Slowing to a stop Yuuri glanced over at the younger skater wondering what was causing the teen’s annoyed expression. It wasn’t unusual for the teenager to become aggravated when he couldn’t preform at the level he wanted to perform. Yuri was focused and driven far more than most his age. Yuuri admired his dedication to the sport he loved. But sometimes taking a step back was needful in order to progress. Inclining his head towards his irascible rink mate, Yuuri smiled “Is everything all right?” 

Yuri rolled his eyes motioning his arms to indicate the silent rink. ”Would I be standing here doing nothing if it was?” He sighed but a thoughtful look crossed his face. “But…maybe you can help. I nee…er want to work on my figures.” 

Yuuri nodded understanding blooming in his mind. Everyone at the rink knew why Yuuri’s PCS scores were always so high. Yakov seemed to delight in using the Japanese skater as the prime reason all his skaters should be working their basic skills. Most of the skaters accepted this as just a part of training but Yuri seemed to struggle with it. Not that he was incapable. It was just that the young man found it challenging to stay focused on such a simple repetitive task. It was tedious and required focus which Yuri had in abundance but it also was too easy and therefore boring to the precocious and talented skater.

Shaking the long blond hair out of his face Yuri looked up through his bangs,” How do you do it? I mean I know how to do the figures, but how do you concentrate on something so mind numbingly boring? Doing figures is like Yoga for you right? I have tried,” Yuri’s voice became lilting and he waggled his fingers as he said the next three words.” clearing my mind. But it doesn’t work. It’s just so damn boring.“

Yuuri forced his laugh down, he knew it would not be appreciated but it was hard when Yuri was so worked up over something so small. “I suppose figures are a bit like Yoga to me. What draws me to them is the whole mind numbing thing you were talking about. “ 

Yuri made a face at that and this time Yuuri did laugh. “Ok think about it this way. My mind is like an arena full of people talking, coaches shouting directions, skaters skating, maybe even Zamboni clattering around. It’s loud and can be difficult to hear yourself think. I get so many thoughts filling my mind at once that they combine and I can't untangle them. It can be so overwhelming that I literally just shut down because I can’t process the thoughts any other way. Doing figures is like leaving that noisy overly active environment and going to a quiet room with comfortable seating where I can rest and focus my mind on one thought at a time. It helps me regain my balance. When I was younger I was overwhelmed more often, now that I am older I have learned to pick up on the warning signs. I can usually head off the worst of it before it starts to get bad. But that is why I do figures so often. It’s relaxing." 

Yuri’s eyes had widened during the older skater’s admission but he would never allow himself to admit just how much the Japanese skater impressed him. “That’s fine for you, I still think it’s about as entertaining as listening to Georgi talk about his love life.” 

“Perhaps instead of trying to think of nothing you focus on one thing.” Yuuri suggested ignoring the dig at their rink mate as he ran a hand through his messy black hair. “That is how they do it in Yoga actually. You aren’t thinking of nothing, but rather focusing on one thing over everything else. In most cases it’s your breathing. But in this case why not try to focus on one part of the figure you want to polish? Do the outer edge, then the inner edge and then maybe concentrate on your free leg? Switch it up and it should be less boring for you especially if you do all the figures.”  
The blond nodded thoughtfully and then shrugged as if to say it was worth a shot. Without a word Yuri pushed himself forward toward center ice to begin.  
Smiling Yuuri skated away from the younger man to give him room before starting his own figures, grateful that he seemed to be able to be of some help to his young friend. 

It was quite some time later when Victor’s voice called him from his reverie as the general noise and clatter of other skaters attested too. Yuuri looked up to see a dumfounded expression on both Victor and Yakov’s faces. “What’s wrong? Did something bad happen?”  
Turning to look in the direction they there looking he smiled. Yuri was still at his figures concentrating painstakingly on each curve. Yakov turned to give Yuuri a searching look. “What sort of spell did you cast on the boy?” 

“Spell?” Yuuri asked in confusion. “I just told him to think of one thing at a time and concentrate on that. That’s all. “  
The silver haired skater and his mentor stared at Yuuri their faces completely blank. Then Yakov started muttering under his breath “Just concentrate on one thing, he says. How long does he think I have been a coach? How many times have I said the same thing over and over again? And now the boy listens? Gah.” Throwing his hands up in defeat and turning a pointed glare on Yuuri as Victor looked between them with a smile.  
Yuuri shrunk back a little unsure of how to react to the old coach’s attention. 

“If you do not take up coaching in your retirement your skills will be wasted,” Yakov declared pointing a finger in Victor’s direction, ”Have this one do the choreography you are a better coach than he is anyway. What?” he paused at Victor’s bemused expression, “It is true, you know this as well as I do.”  
Victor laughed as his mentor having said his piece marched over to the boards nearest to where Yuri was to to watch him more closely. “He’s not wrong, you know. We would make an amazing team. The wizard and the choreographer…I kind of like the sound of that.”  
Yuuri pushed up at his nose as if he were pushing his glasses up even though they were still folded neatly on the bleachers. “Not wizard…Master… Master of the art of Zen figures.”


End file.
